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David boutwell -> Re: Hmmmm.... (8/5/2002 1:57:53 PM)
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Orzel,
My acknowledgent of your work is not given begrudgingly. I honestly do think that your work is good. I saw your post several days ago, and noticed that people like Marauder Melvin liked your work. Now, Marauder has been around here for as long as I can remember, and I know that he’s seen many a submitted map or scenario. I also know that he constructs maps, and he’s also seen most of the stuff that I’ve done. So, when he complemented your work, I was genuinely curious to see what you were doing.
Now, to preface, and this is only my opinion, which means nothing, I’ve seen people in here give a lot of credit to stuff that frankly "ain’t that great". At the same time, I’ve submitted stuff that, yes, I did think was pretty damned good (You can call it vain or whatever you want to, but, being somewhat of a perfectionist with my maps, I wouldn’t have submitted it unless I knew that it was good.), yet I heard nothing. Now, does that mean people shouldn’t encourage others to improve by rewarding good, honest effort? As a father of two, and a teacher, I know better than that. But, I also know that if I’m going to say "nice job" to the kid that’s trying hard to get better, I know that I’d better also reward the kid next to them who might be "there" already, or else their eventually going to say "why the heck do I keep working so hard?" Not being familiar with your work. I was curious to see which side of the coin your work fell under.
So, I downloaded your maps and opened them, and was pleasantly surprised at what I saw! I’ve already mentioned what I like about your maps (and by the way, as an Earth Science teacher, I teach cartography and topography for about for about 15% of my salary, so I’m not just assuming some false knowledge about the way nature creates topography and man adapts his world to that topography ). I actually did like your work, and I actually started to respond to your post yesterday and tell you so, but I was already on a downward spiral, and backed out of the response, which I regret now.
As for A, I concur!
As for B, I concur!
As for C, I don’t know whether or not they have ignored the other avenues. I do know that if they have accessed the others, I’ve only received one bit of encouragement, and that was bundled with a correction, so I don’t know what the true intention was (Doesn’t that sound familiar?) See B! I was hoping to see positive response to my more recently completed work, mostly for the purpose of gaining encouragement and motivation to continue working on the maps that I have under construction (the Oosterbeek Perimeter and the British Market-Garden landing zones). When you check out the maps I posted at Redleg’s site, you’ll understand how important that is! Those maps took not hours to complete, but weeks. Most guys in this community won’t attempt city maps because of their level of complexity.
As for D, you are truly a diplomat! It is not that often that am labeled as vain! J I’m a poorly paid school teacher who likes gardening, camping and other outdoor activities that pit me against mother nature. In fact, I was helping plant Holly bushes in front of the new high school where I’ll be teaching this year, and the other teachers that were helping could not believe that I was actually using my hands to load mulch into buckets! So if I truly am vain, I guess I will have to accept that it is in my impression in my ability to create good maps!J You decide whether that impression is at all grounded in reality. G_X’s post was simply a catalyst. It truly was not directed at him. He just made an innocent statement that was kind of like that straw that broke the camel’s back.
Your Quote: "Over all I don't wish to have ill tidings for any single member of this forum. I also hope this reply or my "five minutes in the spotlight" doesn't incite that type of feeling for myself from you or any other forum members."
I have absolutely no ill tidings toward you. On the contrary. From a personal perspective, I’m happy that people are actually recognizing work that truly is good! If this post serves to attract more people to look at your work, so much the better. As the rapper, Dr. Dre’ once said when some congressman was protesting the lyrics of the group Public Enemy, "Thanks for selling our record for us". If my bitching attracts more people to download your work, you win! And my real gripe was not even really directed at you. I just happened to vent in your thread.
I hope your time in the spotlight is longer than five minutes. I’ve been trying for quite a while to get that spotlight shown on my work, for no other reason than to give me encouragement, as I’ve said, to keep at it. And for some reason, it just "ain’t happnin". That’s my whole issue. In addition, I just like the pleasure of having people duke it out on a map that I have created, or have someone design a scenario using my maps. (Heck, I know that Combat Leader will probably make SPWAW obsolete in the future, rendering all of my work pointless, as this community will probably go the way of the forum for the Battlegound series. Yet, I still have the goal of completing a map series that may take a few more years! That’s dedication!).
So if you’ve got the spotlight, hold onto that darn thing! I’m not standing in your way. In fact, how about collaborating on something in the future?
Regards,
David Boutwell
"Out of ammunition. God save the King."
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Orzel Bialy
[B]Dave,
Well, where can I start as a reply? Honestly, it comes across in two ways....as something of a slap to the cheek...blended in with words of be-grudging acknowledgement to lessen the sting.
I don't know if that is a valid assessment or not? If it is totally off base, then forgive me. If it isn't then I will just accept it as one of those things.
This is how I choose to reply:
A. On my maps:
First of all, thanks for the acknowledgement that my work is worthy of other talented mappers that are out there in the community. :)
It is true that they are not overly complicated and that is, I think, the real beauty to the majority of them.
You are also correct in your observation that I try to mimmick how actual terrain features "act" in real life. Having drove across large portions of this great country and taking in the scenery, I began to note how things "work"... and it's that input that I try to incorporate that into the maps I create.
B. On the lack of Acknowledgement:
I also can appreciate the amount of time and energy it takes to build the more "historical" maps. While I have not personally seen your work ( I will make a point of doing so though ) I have no doubt that they are anything less than excellent.
I made a post titled "A word of thanks" about a week ago thanking M4Jess for allowing me to make maps for some of his scenarios...and also saying thanks to every who has done something above and beyond the call of duty for this forum.
It also made the point that we should all post words of thanks and encouragement when we view or download other peoples work. For I have long known the effect a word of thanks can have.
I am hoping that that post has had something to do with the feedback that I (and hopefully others) have received as of late.
C. Taking things somewhat Personally:
It's obvious that you're somewhat upset that people have possibly ignored other, already existing, avenues of obtaining maps for SPWAW.
For that i have no concrete answer...for I can not speak for others, nor do I seek to. I can only logically guess that they took advantage of a thread I posted at the very time this topic was becoming more of a hot" issue... which corresponded with the dramatic growth of the Pbem subforum and the increasing number of people visiting the forum.
I hope that other mappers don't take my post as some sort of "only show in town" routine. I have always tried to acknowledge the fact that there are other out there doing the same thing...some with even better works, who have been doing it for far longer than myself.
Additionally, that I may have somehow "stole others thunder" (for lack of a better term only...it's late here) well, that was a mere querk of fate as much as it was un-intentional.
D. In Closing:
I must say that I did find parts of your post to be something of an vanity-fed, over-reaction to the innocent over-sight of several newer forum members. I don't mean that to be as hostile as it appears...and I apologize if that seems as a somewhat crude statement. I realize that emotions sometimes get the better of us all...it's just a trait of being human. However, it's always wise to take a step back at times...as will now. ;)
Over all I don't wish to have ill tidings for any single member of this forum. I also hope this reply or my "five minutes in the spotlight" doesn't incite that type of feeling for myself from you or any other forum members.
I prefer that we all be one big happy community...and share the wealth. [/B][/QUOTE]
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